The streets around Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, packed with jubilant fans cheering for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) historic Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 win, descended into chaos. In the stampede that followed, 11 people tragically lost their lives due to suffocation, while over 30 were seriously injured. Amid the grief, controversy erupted online—fueled not just by the tragedy itself, but also by the rumoured departure of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma to London.
RCB had clinched their first-ever IPL title on June 3, and their franchise city organised a grand victory parade the next day to honour the team. Thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium, but poor crowd control quickly turned the celebration into a nightmare. People were pushed, trampled, and crushed in the stampede. The tragedy shocked the nation and cast a dark shadow over what was supposed to be a historic moment for the franchise.
In the aftermath, comparisons were quickly drawn to a similar incident earlier this year. During the premiere of Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2, a stampede led to the tragic death of a woman, and the actor was subsequently summoned by police for questioning.
In the case of RCB, the response has been more formal. The Bengaluru Police have filed an FIR against the RCB franchise, DNA Entertainment Networks, and the KSCA Administrative Committee in connection with the stampede that claimed 11 lives. Registered at Cubbon Park Police Station, the FIR cites criminal negligence on the part of the organisers.
RCB issued an official statement saying: "We have learned through media reports that large crowds gathered at several places in Bengaluru during the team's arrival, leading to tragic incidents. We are deeply saddened and stand with the families of the victims."?
Virat Kohli reposted the statement on Instagram, adding, "No words, heartbroken." But it wasn't the emotional tribute that trended—it was a video of Kohli and Anushka at Mumbai airport that took over social media discourse.
On the morning of June 5, ANI shared a video showing Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma at Mumbai airport. Virat was dressed in a white shirt and jeans with a cap, while Anushka wore a black t-shirt and jeans. The video was shot at the arrival section of the airport, clearly showing the couple had just landed.
Despite this, fans—particularly the supporters of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni on X (formerly Twitter)—began circulating the claim that the couple had left for London, using the misinformation to stir controversy amid an already sensitive moment.?
Netizens who recognised the video as an arrival clip were quick to condemn the false narrative. Many called out the insensitivity of using a tragedy for online fan wars, especially targeting players uninvolved in the incident.?
One said, "Kohli did the right thing by not revealing the face of his kids and moving to the London, this country never deserved him."
Another wrote, "This is insane PR going against Virat Kohli right now. He arrived in Mumbai from Bengaluru but many accounts are posting that he has left for London. Report these accounts."
One added, "No one blamed Messi and the Argentina team for this, but there are uneducated, shameless TRP and reach seekers targeting Virat Kohli and RCB for the Bengaluru tragedy.
The misplaced outrage only added to the emotional toll of the incident, further highlighting the toxic side of online fandoms.??